Knowra Huntsman spider Huntsman spider A large, fast-moving spider in the family Sparassidae, known for its flattened body and legs that extend sideways. Huntsman spiders do not build prey-catching webs; they hunt mainly by running down prey.
Sparassidae : A family of spiders whose members are commonly called huntsman spiders. This is the taxonomic family that contains huntsman spiders.
Laterigrade : A limb orientation in which legs extend outward to the sides rather than mainly forward and backward. This sideways leg posture gives huntsman spiders their characteristic crablike stance.
Biological pest control : The use of living organisms to suppress populations of pests. Huntsman spiders consume insects and other arthropods around buildings and gardens.
Giant huntsman spider : A large huntsman spider species, Heteropoda maxima, described from a cave in Laos. Its exceptionally long leg span made it a striking example of huntsman size.
Araneae : The order of arachnids comprising spiders. Huntsman spiders belong to this broader group of silk-producing arachnids.
Spider locomotion : The ways spiders move using their legs, hydraulic pressure, and interactions with surfaces. Huntsman spiders rely on rapid leg-driven movement to pursue prey and escape threats.
Spider bite : An injury caused when a spider's fangs puncture skin, sometimes injecting venom. Bites are uncommon, but handling or trapping a huntsman spider can provoke one.
Social huntsman spider : A huntsman spider species, Delena cancerides, known for living in groups beneath loose bark. Its group living challenges the expectation that spiders are always solitary.
Arachnid : A chelicerate arthropod with four pairs of walking legs as an adult. Their eight-legged body plan places huntsman spiders among arachnids.
Spider vision : The visual systems spiders use to detect light, movement, and shapes. Vision helps huntsman spiders orient and respond while hunting at close range.
Show all 21